This invention relates to the use of phosphinic acid derivatives as inhibitors of endothelin converting enzyme, to novel phosphinic acid derivatives and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said novel compounds.
Endothelins are a family of peptides, including endothelin-1, endothelin-2 and endothelin-3 (ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3), which show potent vasoconstrictive and mitogenic activity. ET-1, approximately 100 times more potent than its precursor, big-endothelin-1 (BET-1), is believed to be liberated from BET-1 by an endothelin converting enzyme (ECE). See S. Bertenshaw, et al, J. Med. Chem., 36(1993), p. 173-176. Endothelin receptor blockers have been reported to protect against injury in renal disease progression. See A. Benigni, et al, Kidney International, 44 (1993), p. 440-444. Inhibition of ECE, which will also make endothelin unavailable to its receptors, can therefore treat disease states characterized by excessive production of endothelin. Therefore, phosphinic acid derivatives of this invention are useful for the treatment of myocardial ischemia, congestive head failure, arrhythmia, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, asthma, cerebral vasospasm, subarachanoid hemorrhage, pre-eclampsia, wound healing, control of menstruation, acute/chronic renal failure, renal ischemia, renal glomerulosclerosis, atherosclerosis, Buergers disease, Takayasu's arteritis, complications in diabetes, pulmonary carcinoma, gastrointestinal disorders, endotoxic shock, and septicemia.